Within the Seal
by liuli-xia
Summary: It was as if nothing existed. Darkness and silence reigned supreme, with no foreign or familiar voices to break through the stillness. There was no light, no smell, no feeling, just nothingness. For most people, this would be their description of death. Some people might call it peace. SEQUEL TO SECRET TRUTH


_**Felt like Secret Truth deserved a sequel so here it is. There will be at least two other stories after this as well. Again, I don't own anything Persona, just my ideas. ~ Liuli Xia**_

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It was as if nothing existed. Darkness and silence reigned supreme, with no foreign or familiar voices to break through the stillness. There was no light, no smell, no feeling, just nothingness. For most people, this would be their description of death. Some people might call it peace.

Laying there in the darkness, memories of right before the final battle replayed.

Yukari was scared. She didn't understand what was going on, and she'd only begun to get past his silence.

Akihiko went into shock. How was he able to resist the resist everything that restricted the rest of them? And then the senior realized what was happening.

Mitsuru was stunned into silence. For once, he thought, she didn't have a clue and she had to watch one of her team be taken from her.

Junpei had been afraid, or maybe angry, that he was sacrificing himself. The hatted junior had struggled to stand, he was sure, so he could help him.

Fuuka couldn't speak because the strain of the strange force holding her down. But he could tell her thoughts were panicked. He could sense her Persona projecting them.

Aigis had called out for him not to go. He was sure that she knew what was going to happen.

Ken was terrified, like any other ten-year-old would be who didn't understand why one of the people he cared for was being taken away.

Minato had heard them but he could not look back. They had always seen him as quiet, observant, cool, and collected. Not once had he been out of sorts or lost his temper around them. They needed him to be strong, to show that it would be alright in the end. If he had looked at them, they would have seen through his silent façade and determination to see his sadness. They would've seen that he already knew how it would end.

As he ascended, he felt his Personae comforting him. They, too, knew his fate and could have gone to sleep to wait for the next wild card, yet they chose to remain with him until the end. Hariti, a normally quiet one, had softly hummed the lullaby that his mother used to sing to him and most of the female summons had joined her. He felt the angels sending him their silent blessings, even Samael the angel of death. At some point, he felt Ryoji's presence and had looked for him. Minato could see a faint impression of his from floating by his side and it gave him a sense of reassurance knowing that his brother was there.

In the end he won, but at a heavy price.

Day after day he had gone through the motions of living for them, though their memories were repressed. It required extreme efforts for him to remain conscious each day as his soul was slowly being drawn away. Night after night, he found himself with his brother standing at the doorway, neither talking but silently comforting the other.

It was on the roof with her that he knew. Time stopped for no one, even in their final moments. Her voice drifted in and out of his mind as his sight began to blur. He felt water on his face and fought to raise his arm and touched her cheek before it fell limp at his side. In his mind, he began to panic. He had to see the others yet. Darkness encroached upon him but he fought it. And then their faces, blurred and faded, danced before him.

He closed his eyes and awoke from his memories to see Ryoji sitting with him. Around them they felt the black nothingness swirl.

"What would they have said if I told them we were brothers?" the blue-eyed boy stared blankly into the darkness.

Minato sat up and shrugged. "They may have said we were lying or something. Junpei and Yukari would fly off the handle, I know. Aigis might have understood. I don't know about the others."

The black haired boy looked away to his hands, guilt on his face. "Our battle…"

His brother understood and shook his head. "It was inevitable with Nyx controlling you as she was." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I could see you fighting her. There is nothing to apologize for."

The other boy sighed in relief. "Thank you." He paused and frowned. "We cannot go down to the Abyss now."

"You can go without me. The Personae like you so they will listen."

A shake of the head. "No. I cannot leave you alone here. You are my brother. I cannot do that to you."

A chuckle. "Alright then. Looks like it will connect to the dorms in due time so let's let them fight."

"Yes, they are strong." He frowned. "Before we were… separated, did you know this would be the end?"

"No." He looked up and stared into darkness above, where stars should have been. "I was called to the Velvet Room one last time after we… fought. It was then that he told me."

Ryoji laid back, arms behind his head. "So he knew all along…"

He nodded again. "He did. I suspect Elizabeth knew as well."

"Does it bother you that I knew?"

Ryoji jumped while Minato laid there unfazed. "Igor! You startled me!"

"I apologize. My, how you've grown Pharos, or do you have a new name now?" Igor smiled softly at the two young males.

"It's alright. I go by Ryoji now." He smiled back at the older denizen.

He turned back to the blue-haired boy. "Does it bother you, Minato-sama, that I already knew the end of your journey?"

He mulled it over in his mind before replying. "Not really. I thought I would but then I thought about it. If I had known my fate was to be the Great Seal, I might have tried to run from it."

The denizen merely nodded. "Well, should you ever need us of the Velvet Room, merely call. We promise to answer."


End file.
